Mobile and Local search heating up

Google announced the acquisition of Endoxon, a local search and mapping company based in Lucerne, Switzerland. Yesterday Google announced a cell phone search deal with Orange. Local search and cell phone based search will be tightly integrated in the future, and these two deals enhance Google's position.

The Google Operating System Blog reports "Endoxon has been working on a technology called "blue", that will work worldwide. "blue is visualized information on the web. blue is the clever linking of a world map server, a search engine and a GIS. blue is a high-quality, comprehensive points- and map server, a virtual worldwide marketplace, a search and services platform. The user can search for information or he can visualize his own collected information. The download of selected blue data onto the mobile phone is possible. But blue is not only a vision. Its reality: Endoxon has been collecting, enhancing and geo referencing worldwide satellite and aerial images for a couple of years now."

As you know, I am bullish on Mobile Search, Local Search, and Classified Advertising Search. Google is pressing hard on the Mobile and Local search fronts. The other big players (Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL, ASK)  are also testing ideas. I think we will see more acquisitions in this space.

What companies do you like in this area? I have been following uLocate, ScanBuy, EnPocket, Innovectra. Who else should I be watching?

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Comments

[Diego]

www.thinkingrid.com, of course ;)

We are the only ones which have the infrastructure for sharing resources between mobile devices in a grid environment.

[Peter Cranstone]

How about 5o9 Inc. Not quite as sexy as Endoxon, however we do some interesting things. We allow developers to leverage our data communications platform on Windows Mobile. They can now access the mobile phones GPS and other OS API's and then transmit that information in real time up to their servers. (This is an off deck solution) The customer retains intimate control over their privacy, able to selectively control each and every field of data that is transmitted. In addition their content is encrypted on the mobile device and also in transit to the web server.

Local search e.g that's tied to real time location information is the next big thing. However (IMHO) doing so without allowing the mobile customer to actually control their location will result in unwanted interruptions.

Cheers,

Peter

[Dan Carpenter]

Cleverset, out of Seattle may be one to watch. They are working on product relation software similar to what is used on Amazon to show "You might also like..."

With everyone shopping online nowadays, I see this niche growing quite fast.

[Thomas Doubting]

Earthcomber. It already does what Endoxon wishes it could do. And it has a patent on the search technology you referenced in your article.

Earthcomber is doing it right now. Today.

[Ryan]

Skyhook Wireless - http://www.skyhookwireless.com

Wi-Fi Positioning System that enables hyper local search / advertising in areas where GPS won't / doesn't work very well like indoors and in urban canyons